Improvement in constructing stills and still-bottoms



J. MERRILL.

Oil StiIL,

1110. 33,955. Patented Dec. 17,1861.

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11. PETERS, Photo-Lithographer. wupingun. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA MERRILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

lMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTING STILLS AND STILL-BOTTOMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,955, dated December 17, 1861.

T0 (ZZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA MERRILL, of the city of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Stills; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and correct description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference therev on.

My said invention relates to stills used in the manufacture of hydrocarbon oils. Such stills are exposed to high heats, and great difficulty has been experienced in getting still-bottoms which will stand the heat and the consequent expansion and contraction of the metal.

My said invention consists in a new kind of still-bottom-viz., a formed seamless steel still-bottom, substantially as hereinafter described, and in combining it with the body of a still, substantially as described.

The drawings illustrate my invention. Figures Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent views of the still and bottom, and Figs. Nos. 5, 6, and 7 ill us trate the mode of forming or shaping the bottom. The bottom a is made from a plate of steel formed between rollers from'an ingot of cast-steel. It is therefore homogeneous in structure, and not liable to blister when exposed to high heat, as wrought-iron bottoms formed from flange or pilediron plates, and it is much lighter and thinner than a cast-iron bottom of sufficient strength, besides being more durable. The plates of rolled steel should be about five-eighths of an inch thick and of sufficient width to form the bottomsay about seven feet wide. From such plates I cut circular disks of suitable size to form the bottoms, and place them one at a time in a reverberatory furnace, as represented at Figs. Nos. 5, 6, and 7, and close the door and expose the disk to the action of the fire until it has atswages by a sufficient number of workmen to bring it to the shape of the former before the metal cools. The bottom may then be riveted to the body of the still, or bolted thereto, as

shown in the drawings, in which latter case.

any suitable packing may be used to make the joint.

In place of beating down the plate to the former by swages by hand, a reversedie and steain-hammer may be used; but the handbeating is sufficient for practical purposes, although a more perfect surface may be obtained with the die and steam-hammer. The shape or curve of the bottom may be varied somewhat; but it must be dished or deflected sufficiently to prevent breaking the joint by expansion and contraction of the metal when exposed to the Varying temperature occurring in the practical working of the still. It may be secured to the still either side outward; but I prefer it to dish downward, as shown in the drawings.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and improvement in the construction of stills isl. The formed seamless steel still-bottom, substantially as described.

2. The formed seamless steel still-bottom, in combination with the body of a still, substantially as described.

JOSHUA MERRILL.

\Vitnesses:

LUoIUs H. PEASLEE, GEo. H. Conny. 

